Spring clip



A g- 1 1955 z. M. SURLETTA SPRING CLIP Filed Aug. 26, 1963 INVENTOR. 25 17110? ZM 511/222?" 4.

United States Ptent 3,199,163 dll illNG CLIP Zygmunt M. Surletta, Detroit, Mich assignor, by nicsne assignments, to American Metal Products Qornpany, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ear. No. 304,413 1 Claim. (Ql. 24-4565) This invention relates to spring supporting clips, and particularly to a clip with a flat Z-shaped end portion for supporting an end of a sinuous spring strip to a frame.

The clip of the present invention is offset to have the straight portion between the end loop of the sinuous spring strip disposed beneath the body of the clip while the end straight portion is engaged by an upstanding flange on the top end of the strip. The strip has parallel slots for nails or staples disposed at an angle to the edge so that the nails or tines can be driven in offset relation to the grain in the longitudinal length of the wood frame. When the nails or staples are applied along the same grain line, the splitting of the wood often occurs. The standard U-shaped clips and other types of clips applied to wood frames may have similar parallel offset slots applied thereto so that the staple gun can be guided against the edge of the clip to apply the staple at an angle to the length or" the frame so as to have the tines thereof pierce the wood at different grain layers to prevent splitting. The face of the clip engaged by the spring may be treated with plastic, metal, fabric or other material for deadening any sound which may be generated between the spring and the clip. When the end loop is securely held in place to keep the loop from moving relative to the clip, the treatment of the face is omitted.

Accordingly, the main objects of this invention are: to provide a clip with apertures angularly disposed relative to the end edge so that the holding means driven therethrough will be in non-aligned relation with a grain layer of the wood; to provide a clip having a fiat Z shape for receiving the adjacent straight portions of a loop of a sinuous spring strip, one below and one on top of the web thereof; to have a flange extending from a flat Z-shaped strip containing offset apertures for receiving the nails or staples which are employed for securing the clip to a wood frame member; and in general, to provide a clip for securing the end of a spring strip, which is simple in construction and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FlGURE 1 is a brake view in elevation of a back cushion having spring supporting clips thereon embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a frame member with a clip of the present invention thereon supporting the end of a sinuous spring strip;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, taken on the line -d thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the clip illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4; and

PEG. 6 is a perspective view of a U-shaped clip havin the offset slots therein embodying features of the present invention.

The clip lit of the present invention is cut from strip stock and formed to have a web ll, an upstanding end flange 12, a downwardly extending Web 13 from which a securing portion 14 extends. The webs ll slope at an angle relative to the securing portion 14, forming a flat Z relationship with the flange l2 and the web 13.

The clip is applied to the top face 15 of the bottom rail 16 of a back cushion Wood frame by securing means herein illustrated as by a staple l7. The straight portion 1% between the end loops of a sinuous spring strip 1% is pulled forwardly between the web 11 and the top face 15 of the rail 16, after which the end straight portion 2?. of the sinuous spring strip is moved upwardly and over the upstanding flange 12. After one of the spring strips is fastened in this manner, the other end is secured by a U-shaped clip 27 attached to the top rail Ell of the cushion frame. The spring bows forwardly from the bottom rail 16 and arches upwardly with the top end secured by the U-shaped clip 27 for pivotal movement. In this manner a forwardly arching form is applied to the lower part of the spring strips of the back cushion.

The securing portion 14 of the clip has a pair of slots 22 and 23 therein which are disposed in parallel relation having the ends offset from the edge 24 of the supporting portion. The stapling gun is so set that when placed against the edge 24 of the supporting portion 14, the staple 17 will be disposed at an angle to the edge or at right angles to the slots 22 and 23. The tines 25' of the staple l7 will be out of alignment with the longitudinal face of the frame member and therefore out of alignment with the grain layers thereof and the chance of splitting the wood is thereby substantially reduced.

When the spring strip is employed in a back frame, the rail 7.6 will be at the bottom with the face 15 facing upwardly and with the clips disposed in rows across the face of the rail. The top rail it may employ the standard type of clip 27, as illustrated in FIG. 6 having a supporting portion 23 containing angularly disposed parallel slots 22 and 23 which function in the same manner as the slots of the supporting portion 14 of the clip 17. The U-shaped portion 29 of the clip is open upwardly to receive the opposite end 18 of the spring strip 19 which is dropped within the U-shaped end portion. The end 18 is retained within the U-shaped portion by having the web portion 31 of the clip 27 flattened toward the supporting portion 28 and retained therein by a nail or other means which extends through an aperture 32 in the web. Both of the clips 1% and 27 have the offset parallel slots 22, and 23 therein for permitting the fastening of the clip to a wood rail without having the nails or tines of the staple driven into the same grain layer of the wood.

The inner face of the flange 12. and that of clip 27 may be covered by a sound-deadening material 34 which may be a plastic, metal, fabric or other material known to be suite-d to prevent noises from being developed through the working of the spring end against the metal of the clips.

What is claimed is:

In a clip for supporting the end of sinuous spring strips on a frame having a top and bottom rail, said spring strips having oppositely disposed loops joined by straight portions, said clip having a supporting portion and a fiat Z- shaped extension embodying an angularly disposed section with oppositely extending webs at the ends, the straight portion between the endrnost loops of the spring strip being disposed on the bottom side of the clip adjacent to the downwardly extending web and the end straight portion of the strip being disposed on the top side of the clip adjacent to the upwardly extending Web, said supporting portion having slots therethrough by which the clip is secured to the top face of the bottom rail, the spring strip when secured in the clip extending forwardly and arching upwardly with the top end portion secured to a clip attached to the top rail.

(References on following page) Fernberg. Krakauer 5-259.X Jenkins.

Histand 248--48.2 Bank 189-35 Engel -1 189-35 X Handren et a1. 5259 X 4 2,716,442 8/55 Larson et a1. 267111 2,843,192 7/58 Krakauer 189-35 2,867,305 1/59 Baker 18935 X FOREIGN PATENTS 547,928 10/57 Canada. 7 612,775 1 61 Canada.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Exhminer. 

